Recruiting across all levels within the tax profession, we provide specialist career advice and market insight to help you find the right Tax job to fast-track your career and stay up-to-date with everything you need to know in Tax.

LATEST Tax ROLES

Corporate Tax Accountant

£50000 - £60000 per annum + Bonus & Benefits

Corporate Tax Accountant - Bracknell In-House - up to £60,000 + Benefits Would you like an industry role with both flexible working and no reporting deadlines? This is a great role for a Big 4/Top ...

TESTIMONIALS

The candidates you put forward for interview were at the correct experience level and had the right personalities required for the roles. You were very honest when assessing whether potential candidates were genuinely interested in the role, to avoid time wasting. This was hugely appreciated. In addition, you were very proactive, responsive and quick to follow up on points, whether that be post-interview or post-offer. I would certainly look to use you when looking to recruit in future, over and above other firms.

Steve Donnelly, Senior Tax Manager, Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC

Pro-Tax has been fully responsive and clearly prepares their candidates for interview in a commercially minded and thorough fashion...We’re continuing to work with Pro-Tax on the more senior of our opportunities.

Ben Cookman, Head of Corporate Accounts, McDonalds

I wanted a consultancy that specialised in tax, had good knowledge of a range of sectors and access to high-quality employers. I knew from ex-colleagues and friends that I would in good hands with Pro-Tax. They helped me prepare for the interview and supported me throughout the process, which I really appreciated. If you are a tax professional and looking for your next move then I would thoroughly recommend Pro-Tax as leading consultants within the tax market to help you achieve your career goals.

Paul Murrell, Tax Candidate

I just want to say how thankful I am to Pro-Tax for helping me get this job. Your help was invaluable and the face-to-face meetings we had were really nice. In my view, you've continued to go above and beyond the involvement of a recruitment agent and I felt like a really valued candidate. I cannot be happier with the new role that you found me and if the time comes for me to move on you will defiantly be my first port of call!

CASE STUDY

Vodafone is a multinational telecommunication company and constituent of the FTSE 100. They own and operate networks in 26 countries and have partner networks in over 50 additional countries. READ THE FULL CASE STUDY HERE >>

Pepsico

CASE STUDY

PepsiCo, Inc. is an American multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York. PepsiCo was formed in 1965 with the merger of the Pepsi-Cola Company and Frito-Lay, Inc. PepsiCo has since expanded from its namesake product Pepsi to a broader range of food and beverage brands, the largest of which have included an acquisition of Tropicana Products in 1998 and the Quaker Oats Company in 2001, which added the Gatorade brand to its portfolio. READ THE FULL CASE STUDY HERE >>

PWC

CASE STUDY

PricewaterhouseCoopers is a global professional services network headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the second largest professional services firm in the world, and is one of the Big Four auditors, along with Deloitte, EY and KPMG. READ THE FULL CASE STUDY HERE>>

Latest Tax Blogs

Christmas Tax Facts and Trivia to Raise a Seasonal Smile

Are you a Tax Manager, Tax Director or tax professional? Do you think you know all there is to know about tax? Well, with Christmas around the corner and the festive party season underway, what could be more appropriate than Christmas tax trivia and facts? Who knows, it may even be a topic of conversation around your Christmas dinner table this year… Let the Trivia begin! Christmas shop: · The ...

Are you a Tax Manager, Tax Director or tax professional? Do you think you know all there is to know about tax? Well, with Christmas around the corn...

How To Negotiate a Pay Rise Webinar - Recording

Thanks to everyone who joined us on How To Negotiate a Pay Rise Webinar. We received some great questions from you all, we didn't have enough time to respond to all of them, but look out for further articles from Pat Keogh and Heather Townsend, who will look to share further insight. Keep the questions coming in, we'd love to hear about which topics you'd like us to explore going forward Share ...

Thanks to everyone who joined us on How To Negotiate a Pay Rise Webinar. We received some great questions from you all, we didn't have enough time ...

Create a culture where everyone has equal opportunities

There has been a growing recognition of the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace over the years. This year it has been very refreshing to learn how firms are promoting a positive integration between work and life, to create an environment that influences career development and that empowers everyone. Furthermore, promoting an environment regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, d...

There has been a growing recognition of the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace over the years. This year it has been very refre...

5 Things You Must Know Before You Take The Job

Are you a Tax Manager looking to move jobs within the new year? Taking a new Tax job, whether it be a Tax Senior Manager to a Tax Director, can be exciting but also an overwhelming experience. Besides using a Tax recruiter to ease you through the process, there are a number of things you should think about before committing to a role. In this short article, I'll give you my top five considerati...

Are you a Tax Manager looking to move jobs within the new year? Taking a new Tax job, whether it be a Tax Senior Manager to a Tax Director, can be ...

10 Things You Didn't Know About: Sue Lucas, Partner at Moore Stephens

Described by clients as the ultimate professional, Sue Lucas has advised a large portfolio of large and small companies, developing areas of expertise including the construction sector and corporate structuring. What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? To identify new business opportunities, know your own strengths and weaknesses and work on them, continually dev...

Described by clients as the ultimate professional, Sue Lucas has advised a large portfolio of large and small companies, developing areas of expert...

November 2018: Tax Movers & Shakers

Practice Haines Watts has made several acquisitions, including Gallaghers Chartered Accountants in London. Crowe has appointed Caroline Fleet as a Tax Partner. RSM has appointed Mark Morton as a partner in Milton Keynes to strengthen its employer solutions practice. Mercer & Hole has relocated its London office to Lombard Street with effect from 26th November 2018. RSM has appointed Sarah Turgo...

Practice Haines Watts has made several acquisitions, including Gallaghers Chartered Accountants in London. Crowe has appointed Caroline Fleet as a ...

The Pro-Group Christmas Quiz 2018

On Tuesday 4th December, Pro-Recruitment held its infamous annual Christmas Quiz, and what a night it was. With the best and brightest from across the worlds of HR, Tax, Finance and Legal, 26 teams went head to head for the much-coveted title of Pro-Recruitment Christmas Quiz Champions 2018. The competitive streak in some of the teams was evident from the outset and with company rivalries and r...

On Tuesday 4th December, Pro-Recruitment held its infamous annual Christmas Quiz, and what a night it was. With the best and brightest from across ...

Why You Should Start Your January Job Hunt Now

Although Christmas is just around the corner you may want to consider starting your January job hunt now. According to Indeed, there was a 64% increase in Britons hunting for jobs in January compared with the previous year. Competition can be fierce, so whether you're in the Legal, Finance, Tax or HR sector why not get ahead and start your job search now. This quick read will give you some tips...

Although Christmas is just around the corner you may want to consider starting your January job hunt now. According to Indeed, there was a 64% incr...

October 2018: Tax Movers & Shakers

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Practice Hardwick & Morris LLP has announced that Kevin Offer, formerly of Gabelle, has joined the practice as a Partner effective from 1st October 2018. Kevin is a tax specialist with particular interest in the taxation of high net-worth individuals, sportsmen and entertainers. He is a Chartered Tax Adviser and a Fellow of the ICAEW. White & Case LLP has promoted 41 lawyers around the world to...

Practice Hardwick & Morris LLP has announced that Kevin Offer, formerly of Gabelle, has joined the practice as a Partner effective from 1st October...

Technology - the Future Partner in Your Tax Matters?

Are you a Tax Manager or Tax Director seeking to streamline and manage your tax function through the use of technology? With almost daily advancements in technology, it is an exciting time for the Taxation industry. Yet digital disruption needs to be carefully analysed, while it provides many solutions to long-standing issues it also throws many new challenges. As a Tax Recruiter, a crucial par...

Are you a Tax Manager or Tax Director seeking to streamline and manage your tax function through the use of technology? With almost daily advanceme...

Is Your Long Commute Really Worth It?

Are you a Finance, Tax, Legal or HR professional commuting over two hours every day? According to the TUC, the service sector has seen the biggest increase in travel time over the last decade, with 130% more workers travelling for two or more hours a day than in 2004. Serious disruption at Paddington, a week of strikes on South Western Railway coupled with major signal failures has spelt misery...

Are you a Finance, Tax, Legal or HR professional commuting over two hours every day? According to the TUC, the service sector has seen the biggest ...

Never Underestimate The Influence Of Company Culture on Staff Attraction

Due to the competitive nature of the market, high-quality candidates are often presented with four or five offers of employment for their next position. As a result, clients are constantly asking my advice on how to attract and retain the best talent out there! Whilst excellent rates of pay and opportunities for progression are two of the most obvious ways to attract the right team members ther...

Due to the competitive nature of the market, high-quality candidates are often presented with four or five offers of employment for their next posi...

6 Staff Retention Tips To Improve Your Business

Are you supporting a high growth business in the UK but also one who suffers from 15% or higher staff turnover rate? As recruitment specialists, we know that a key goal of yours it to keep your staff happy, so your business can flourish. According to Glassdoor, the average employer spends about £3,000 and 27.5 days to hire a new worker. We work with businesses who are working really hard to imp...

Are you supporting a high growth business in the UK but also one who suffers from 15% or higher staff turnover rate? As recruitment specialists, we...

WEBINAR - How to negotiate a pay rise

We’ve all thought about it… asking for an increase in salary. Salary negotiation is a key skill which will help you throughout your career. Whether you’re a Solicitor or Accountant, a Tax Manager looking to get to Tax Partner, or just a Generalist HR professional exploring salaries in your current role, this webinar will give you some essential advice to plan and execute a strategy to help you ...

We’ve all thought about it… asking for an increase in salary. Salary negotiation is a key skill which will help you throughout your career. Whether...

5 Scary Candidate Profiles that give us the Fright!

It’s Halloween and the spookiest time of the year. However, some of these candidate profiles continue to haunt recruitment processes throughout the year leaving prospective employers howling at the moon. Below are a few examples of the phantom offenders that can keep us up at night. The Crypt The Cryptic candidate who holds back on valuable information. Whether it be parts of their salary packa...

It’s Halloween and the spookiest time of the year. However, some of these candidate profiles continue to haunt recruitment processes throughout the...

Making the Move From Big 4 to Mid-tier: Genevieve Moore

I sat down with Genevieve Moore, Head of Corporate Tax at Blick Rothenberg to discuss the differences between the Big 4 and Mid-Tier Accountancy Practices. Genevieve made the move from Deloitte in 2013 and hasn’t looked back since. How does the culture at Blick Rothenberg compare to your time in the Big 4? I think size does lead to a different culture. We are about 325 people now, across two of...

I sat down with Genevieve Moore, Head of Corporate Tax at Blick Rothenberg to discuss the differences between the Big 4 and Mid-Tier Accountancy Pr...

September 2018: Tax Movers & Shakers

Practice Mazars has promoted Natasha Ryan to tax partner based in Birmingham and focuses on providing tax advisory services to private clients, SMEs and entrepreneurial businesses. Armstrong Watson has appointed Alex Nicholson as VAT director. He joins from PwC after spending three years there. RSM has expanded its North West tax practice with the appointment of two new directors, Helen Guy and...

Practice Mazars has promoted Natasha Ryan to tax partner based in Birmingham and focuses on providing tax advisory services to private clients, SME...

David Gibbs is an International Corporate Tax specialist at Alliotts. He has over 20 years’ experience in providing commercially focused tax advice and support to a wide range of clients, from technology start-ups to large inward investing corporates. What three traits define you? Fairness, honesty and hopefully a sense of humour. What’s the strangest job you’ve ever had? Not the strangest job ...

David Gibbs is an International Corporate Tax specialist at Alliotts. He has over 20 years’ experience in providing commercially focused tax advice...

A Look into 2018 Candidate Recruitment Trends So Far…

It’s been the story of 2018, we are in a candidate short market. But what does this mean? The September IHS Markit/REC Report on Jobs data highlights once again that: Strong expansion in permanent placements, but temp billings growth softens Starting salaries increase at the second-fastest rate in over three years Staff vacancies continue to rise at a historically marked pace Steep increases in...

It’s been the story of 2018, we are in a candidate short market. But what does this mean? The September IHS Markit/REC Report on Jobs data highligh...

8 Key parts to hiring, retaining and developing the best team around you

Recruitment Process We all know that hiring that amazing team can be a daunting task but we’ve compiled a list of 8 key parts to hiring, retaining and developing the best team. In our experience, a key part of creating your perfect team is getting the decision right at this stage. A few very important things to consider are; 1. What Is Your Process>> 2. Take References>> 3. Hire People That Rai...

Recruitment Process We all know that hiring that amazing team can be a daunting task but we’ve compiled a list of 8 key parts to hiring, retaining ...

10 Body Language Tips To Help You Succeed In Interview

Everyone knows good interview preparation is key to succeeding in that first step to finding that new job. We all prepare for those tough interview questions to increase our chances of getting through to the next stage of the recruitment process. But how many of you focus on the importance of nonverbal communication? Research shows that when we communicate feelings and attitudes, only a small p...

Everyone knows good interview preparation is key to succeeding in that first step to finding that new job. We all prepare for those tough interview...

August 2018: Tax Movers & Shakers

PRACTICE LONDON THE CITY PWC have admitted 7 new Partners into its Government & Health Industries practice. Of which, Emma Cody is a Tax Partner, with a background in indirect taxes and technology. James Hume has joined EY from Slaughter & May as a tax partner focusing on transaction taxes. Jorge Morley-Smith has been appointed as a Director in KPMG’s asset management tax team. Mazars has appoi...

PRACTICE LONDON THE CITY PWC have admitted 7 new Partners into its Government & Health Industries practice. Of which, Emma Cody is a Tax Partner, w...

Flexible Working….What a Way to Make a Living!

Famously released by Dolly Parton in 1980, “Working 9-5” appears to be something of the past. At Pro-Recruitment, we have adopted a flexible working policy for the past couple of years. Likewise, with the general workplace, it’s a concept that’s becoming more embraced on a daily basis. Whilst conquering my morning commute, I came across an article on BBC News that suggested the traditional 9 am...

Famously released by Dolly Parton in 1980, “Working 9-5” appears to be something of the past. At Pro-Recruitment, we have adopted a flexible workin...

60 seconds with: Gillian Everall, Managing Director at Everfair Tax

Having trained in Deloitte and gained experience in a number of other large firms such as Baker Tilly, BDO LLP and most recently Frank Hirth plc as an Associate Director in the Private Client Group, Gillian has spent the last 15 years working with high net worth individuals advising across a broad range of tax issues and across income tax, capital gains tax and inheritance tax. What advice woul...

Having trained in Deloitte and gained experience in a number of other large firms such as Baker Tilly, BDO LLP and most recently Frank Hirth plc as...

4 Tools to Amp up Your Job Search

Finding a new job can be tough. There are so many aspects to the whole job search process, writing a killer CV, preparing for your interview and even dressing appropriately, that it can often at times be overwhelming. But did you know that there is a wealth of tools out there on the web to help you nail that job search process and land your dream job? Here’s a breakdown of our top 4 tools to am...

Finding a new job can be tough. There are so many aspects to the whole job search process, writing a killer CV, preparing for your interview and ev...

The 6 Biggest CV Mistakes

Writing a CV can be a daunting task on the face of it. You have to concisely summarise your entire working life into a few short pages and hope that your personality shines through enough that the HR manager will pick up the phone. With so much time and effort going into covering every single detail and crafting that perfect paper representation of you, are you missing the bigger picture? Our e...

Writing a CV can be a daunting task on the face of it. You have to concisely summarise your entire working life into a few short pages and hope tha...

Is your interview process correct?

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In a candidate driven market it’s key for clients to get their interview process right, but what is the right process, how many stages should there be, who gets involved and at what stage and what level of detail do you go in to? Some clients surprisingly present an offer after just one meeting, this can create problems, particularly if you’re interviewing a candidate who is either; Making thei...

In a candidate driven market it’s key for clients to get their interview process right, but what is the right process, how many stages should there...

July 2018: Tax Movers & Shakers

Practice Grunberg & Co has opened a new office in the City of London, located within the 80 Coleman Street office complex RSM has appointed Richard Meller as a corporate tax director in the Southampton office and joins from Mazars, bringing 18 years’ experience PwC has made four partner promotions in the Midlands team and includes Alan Caroll as international tax partner The Guildford office of...

Practice Grunberg & Co has opened a new office in the City of London, located within the 80 Coleman Street office complex RSM has appointed Richard...

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Transfer Pricing Partner? Take time to understand the skills and competencies that are required, then work on your weaknesses. What do Moore Stephens do well? The culture. Of course, this is always a work in progress but I like the fact that the firm is genuinely committed to its values. What is your biggest bugbear about CVs? Bad ...

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Transfer Pricing Partner? Take time to understand the skills and competencies that ...

Is your recruiter asking you these questions?

Trying to find the right recruiter can be a daunting task. Inevitably you’ll have been called by at least one or two recruiters and as soon as you pick up the phone your mind fills with doubts and your defences go up until you can work out who this person is and whether they’re trustworthy or not. The key to whether a recruiter is any good or not lies within the questions they ask when they’re ...

Trying to find the right recruiter can be a daunting task. Inevitably you’ll have been called by at least one or two recruiters and as soon as you ...

When the Results = Revision and Retakes.

How Gareth Southgate might look at rebuilding from a failed CTA exam… The CTA results came out a week after we crashed out of the World Cup. You, like England, this month didn’t get the result you had hoped for and daresay it had expected. You’ve failed, the celebrations weren’t flowing on Wednesday and maybe you feel an opportunity has slipped through your fingers. So, like our Lions, you ask ...

How Gareth Southgate might look at rebuilding from a failed CTA exam… The CTA results came out a week after we crashed out of the World Cup. You, l...

How England's World Cup Progress is Strikingly Similar To The Interview Process

What a tournament England are having! There is a sense of optimism building nationwide that this year could be our year and football is indeed coming home! After watching the highs and lows of some of the teams across the tournament I found myself comparing the World Cup with the recruitment process and how a good recruitment consultant can be your very own Gareth Southgate. Qualifying Stage Th...

What a tournament England are having! There is a sense of optimism building nationwide that this year could be our year and football is indeed comi...

Why Your Cover Letter Is Killing Your Chances

You've mastered your CV. You’ve got your killer references. You’re good to go right? Hmm not quite… You’ve neglected your cover letter and in doing so ruined your chance of securing that dream job! Often the cover letter is the very first impression of a candidate, this is the shop window, the opening as it were. But all too often candidates undersell themselves and blow their big chance. We su...

60 seconds with: Heather Self, Partner at Blick Rothenberg

If you could banish anything to room 101 what would it be and why? Manels! (all male panels) – I currently chair the Women in Tax group, and we are always happy to suggest great women speakers for events. What do you do to unwind at the weekend? Walk the dog in the Cheshire countryside where I live. What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Tax Partner? Make sure you’ve wo...

If you could banish anything to room 101 what would it be and why? Manels! (all male panels) – I currently chair the Women in Tax group, and we are...

June 2018: Tax Movers & Shakers

Practice The summer holiday season has certainly not slowed things on the recruitment front across Tax with some senior career moves that will pack a real punch in the market! Luke Prout has moved from Macintyre Hudson as a Tax Manager in Peterborough to the Peterborough office of Streets at Partner level. Having headed Mazar’s Poole office as the Tax Director for 11 years Richard Meller has ju...

Practice The summer holiday season has certainly not slowed things on the recruitment front across Tax with some senior career moves that will pack...

The World Cup – can you watch it at work? A few tips to get around your boss…

Between now and the 15th July at 4 pm the nation is waiting to see if, in fact, it is coming home. With a 6-1 win behind us and a promising start to the World Cup, everyone is keen to see who we will be playing next and what our opposition is doing. But the biggest question on our mind, whilst the sun is shining, and the football is on…how can you watch the world cup at work? Thus far, the issu...

Between now and the 15th July at 4 pm the nation is waiting to see if, in fact, it is coming home. With a 6-1 win behind us and a promising start t...

5 Foolproof ways to manage multiple interview processes

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Job searches often follow the London Bus Principle; you wait for ages for one and then three turn up at once! Whilst this seems like a lovely problem to have, it is rare that you will have three perfectly-timed job offers at once and managing this process can be rather daunting. Below are a few tips on how to manage multiple interview processes to ensure you secure the right role at the right t...

Job searches often follow the London Bus Principle; you wait for ages for one and then three turn up at once! Whilst this seems like a lovely probl...

5 Myths uncovered about small firms

As a specialist Small and Mid-Tier practice Tax Recruiter, I spend a lot of time putting to rest some quite incorrect myths working for these firms. Below are some of the most common ones! 1. Myth – The work in a small accountancy firm will not offer exposure to interesting and large clients. Fact – Just because a firm is small doesn’t mean that it’s clients are too. A smaller firm will offer a...

As a specialist Small and Mid-Tier practice Tax Recruiter, I spend a lot of time putting to rest some quite incorrect myths working for these firms...

Kim Vs Trump: 5 Steps to Resolving Office Place Conflict

Today marks a significant moment in history, the summit between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump. The world watches on through its fingers in a kind of confused curiosity as these two leaders meet to try and broker some sort of ‘peace’. There has been much posturing, insult slinging and egotistical tweeting in the build-up to this summit leading many to question its authenticity. However, is there ...

Today marks a significant moment in history, the summit between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump. The world watches on through its fingers in a kind of...

Tax Managers – When is a good time to move In-House?

The age-old myth would tell us that someone from Practice can move in-house at any point in their career. In fact, this may well have been true a few years back. In 2011, we saw many people Tax Seniors, Tax Assistant Managers, Tax Managers, Tax Senior Managers and Tax Directors move in-house. We even identified some Tax Partners moving in-house. Alas, it's 2018 and the market has changed. No lo...

The age-old myth would tell us that someone from Practice can move in-house at any point in their career. In fact, this may well have been true a f...

6 Undeniable Signs you should start looking for a new job

Feel like you're stuck at a dead end? Here are six undeniable signs you should start your search for a new job. 1. You are bored There’s nothing worse than feeling bored at work. Time drags, you’re constantly clock watching and find yourself doing literally anything to get through the day. On the whole, people need mental stimulation, a challenge, a goal to work towards. Boredom is such an issu...

Feel like you're stuck at a dead end? Here are six undeniable signs you should start your search for a new job. 1. You are bored There’s nothing wo...

An Evening With BDO

Pro-Tax has partnered with BDO to allow you the opportunity to find out more about their fantastic Corporate Tax Teams. They are opening the doors to their London Head Office and welcoming you to a networking evening within their tax departments; enabling you to find out what life might look like at BDO. Date: Thursday 12th July Time: From 6pm Location: BDO Head Office - 5 Baker St, Marylebone,...

Pro-Tax has partnered with BDO to allow you the opportunity to find out more about their fantastic Corporate Tax Teams. They are opening the doors ...

How to get the most out of recruiters

Bluntly, recruiters can often be seen as a nuisance, and the positives of building a long-term relationship with them are frequently missed. On the flip side of this, I am not suggesting you go and make relationships with all the recruiters in the market, as this will certainly dilute the many advantages of a good working relationship with your recruiter. Firstly, it is important to know how to...

Bluntly, recruiters can often be seen as a nuisance, and the positives of building a long-term relationship with them are frequently missed. On the...

60 Seconds With: Kerry O’Connell UK Head of Tax at National Australia Bank

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If you could banish anything to room 101 what would it be and why? Airlines not enforcing carry-on luggage size (and number) restrictions. What do you do to unwind at the weekend? Take the Caterham out for a drive and play racquetball. What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Head of Tax? Don’t get siloed in a role and always try and maintain some involvement in all taxes...

If you could banish anything to room 101 what would it be and why? Airlines not enforcing carry-on luggage size (and number) restrictions. What do ...

Tax Market Intelligence Q1 2018

It’s been an interesting start to the year in tax recruitment. A very slow yet steady 2018 so far…but are things about to change? In Q1 of 2018 we were down 20% vs Q1 2017 on the number of vacancies that we were instructed on and 17% down on the number of new candidates that registered with us. When doing this analysis, we explored what these changes meant and forecasted whether the same patter...

It’s been an interesting start to the year in tax recruitment. A very slow yet steady 2018 so far…but are things about to change? In Q1 of 2018 we ...

May 2018: Tax Movers & Shakers

Kingston Smith has promoted Guy Sterling to partner. He has been advising on personal tax for more than 20 and previously chaired the Thames Valley branch of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT). Alvarez & Marsal Taxand has made three senior appointments to its European tax practice. Marvin Rust has joined the firm as managing director and head of Tax and Europe, and Louise Jenkins and An...

Kingston Smith has promoted Guy Sterling to partner. He has been advising on personal tax for more than 20 and previously chaired the Thames Valley...

How are office sweepstakes earnings taxed across the world?

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With a summer loaded with sport fast approaching we have the football world cup to look forward to, our annual obsession with Wimbledon, the playoff final, the return of test match cricket and much much more! For the sports fans amongst us this can be an expensive time of year with office sweepstakes aplenty, only today we had our world cup sweepstake sent round by a particularly keen member of...

With a summer loaded with sport fast approaching we have the football world cup to look forward to, our annual obsession with Wimbledon, the playof...

Run 84/7

Every 7 days 84 men lose their lives to suicide. That statistic means that every two hours a man takes his own life in the UK. And there is one death by suicide in the world every 40 seconds. Male suicide is the single BIGGEST killer of men under 45 (with 76% of all suicides in the UK being men). As harrowing a stat as that is, a stigma around men’s mental health still exists and shrouds it; an...

Every 7 days 84 men lose their lives to suicide. That statistic means that every two hours a man takes his own life in the UK. And there is one dea...

Money talks – but should you talk about it at interview?

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As a nation we are known for a few things; Impeccable queuing skills, moaning about the weather and reviewing holidays on their comparative cost of beer. However, nothing epitomises Britain more than awkwardness about money. I recently discovered that my family hadn’t the foggiest about each other’s salaries; so never wanting to cause embarrassment, their discussions about money revolved around...

As a nation we are known for a few things; Impeccable queuing skills, moaning about the weather and reviewing holidays on their comparative cost of...

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Private Client Partner? Be patient and focused. What do Moore Stephens do well? We go above and beyond with our client service. In our recent client satisfaction survey, strong rapport scored an average of 9.5 out of 10. What is your biggest bugbear about CVs? Those CVs where the key points are not immediately apparent. It doesn't ...

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Private Client Partner? Be patient and focused. What do Moore Stephens do well? We ...

Job interview Disaster Stories

You’ve secured the interview, researched the company and dusted off your slickest suit ready to impress, but have you planned your journey? With readily available apps and technology tools at our fingertips, we no longer need to go through the hassle of google mapping, printing a map or even doing a trial run prior to the big interview date. With that said so many of us are still failing to pre...

You’ve secured the interview, researched the company and dusted off your slickest suit ready to impress, but have you planned your journey? With re...

April 2018: Market Update

Last month saw permanent placements increase markedly while in contrast temp placements eased to a 13-month low with overall candidate availability continuing to decline in both perm and temp markets. Regionally, the Midlands led the upsurge of permanent placements while Scotland recorded the sharpest rise in temporary billing at the end of the first quarter. This is also reflected here at Pro-...

April 2018: Tax Movers & Shakers

Saffery Champness has promoted Zena Hanks to partner in the Bristol office. Joining the Bristol office in 2005, Zena is a chartered tax adviser who acts for private clients in all aspects of their financial affairs. Mazars has appointed Andrew Spence as a partner and head of tax for Birmingham. RSM has announced 11 internal promotions to partner across the UK, which took effect on 1 April 2018....

Saffery Champness has promoted Zena Hanks to partner in the Bristol office. Joining the Bristol office in 2005, Zena is a chartered tax adviser who...

The secret to Interview Success

Interviews can be intimidating and no matter how much experience you have, unless you fully prepare you’ll run the risk of underselling yourself and missing out on that dream position. It may be cliché but the old adage “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail” has never been truer in relation to interviews. We have produced a Secret to Interview Success booklet to assist our candidate...

Interviews can be intimidating and no matter how much experience you have, unless you fully prepare you’ll run the risk of underselling yourself an...

Living and Working in Bermuda

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Jiali is a Canadian national who move out to Bermuda to join KPMG’s Global Mobility tax practice. Jiali moved from Canada for a change of scenery and ended up living the idyllic Island lifestyle! 1) Salary to Cost of living – how much do you get for your money? Cost of living in Bermuda is ranked consistently in the top 3 (if not top 1) in the world. Housing and electricity are what will kill y...

Jiali is a Canadian national who move out to Bermuda to join KPMG’s Global Mobility tax practice. Jiali moved from Canada for a change of scenery a...

Wellbeing and the workplace

The Pro Recruitment Group consists of Pro-Tax, Pro-Finance, Pro-Legal and Pro-HR. A real talking point in the world of HR is ‘Wellbeing in the Workplace’ and the four pillars. What is Wellbeing? The state of being comfortable, healthy or happy What are the four Pillars? Mental, Physical, Financial and Environmental wellbeing Taking a moment to reflect on the above, it was intriguing to link thi...

The Pro Recruitment Group consists of Pro-Tax, Pro-Finance, Pro-Legal and Pro-HR. A real talking point in the world of HR is ‘Wellbeing in the Work...

March 2018: Tax Movers & Shakers

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Deloitte have appointed Paul Knight as a tax partner leading on corporation tax advisory services to the public sector and charities. Prior to joining Deloitte Paul was head of not-for-profit tax at BDO, Paul has spent the last 20 years providing tax advisory services across a range of sectors including education and charities. In his new role at Deloitte Paul will advise on financial transacti...

Deloitte have appointed Paul Knight as a tax partner leading on corporation tax advisory services to the public sector and charities. Prior to join...

Should you ever accept a counter offer?

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When you start to look for a new role, you must know going into this one thing is for certain, in 2018’s market you will end up with multiple offers and one of those will be from your current employer. I am going to talk about the pros and cons of counteroffers. Which are the good ones and which are the knee-jerk reactions purely to save cost and time. Most candidates that we act for are subjec...

When you start to look for a new role, you must know going into this one thing is for certain, in 2018’s market you will end up with multiple offer...

60 Seconds With: Alistair Armstrong, Head of Tax at U+I

If you could banish anything to room 101 what would it be and why? Celery and cherry tomato garnishes on a Bloody Mary. I want a drink, not a crudité experience. Sprouts need to go in 101 as well, just for being sprouts. What do you do to unwind at the weekend? I have two children, my weekends are a taxi service and cash machine. However, I like to play golf when the very rare opportunity arise...

If you could banish anything to room 101 what would it be and why? Celery and cherry tomato garnishes on a Bloody Mary. I want a drink, not a crudi...

March 2018: Market Update

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Spring is in the air and throughout March the world of tax recruitment has started to wake up with strong shoots of opportunity across a whole host of areas. London Practice Within the Big 4 and Top 10 we have seen strong growth across the board but particularly in Real Estate with M&A, Transactional Taxes and Cross-border vacancies being in higher demand at Senior Manager grade. In the Mid-Mar...

Spring is in the air and throughout March the world of tax recruitment has started to wake up with strong shoots of opportunity across a whole host...

Do you have any questions?

That moment at the end of an interview when they ask…So do you have any questions? To this question there are three possible outcomes; 1. You are prepared. You have all of the questions in your head, you may even have them written down. If this is you then well done! Have a quick glance through and see if there is anything else you can pick up from our guide. 2. A brief moment of panic. You hav...

That moment at the end of an interview when they ask…So do you have any questions? To this question there are three possible outcomes; 1. You are p...

9 Rules For Dressing For an Interview

Before you have even shaken the interviewer’s hand or been shown to the room where the interview will take place, you have already made your first impression based on how you have dressed. At Pro, with the years’ of experience that we have, we've put together some guidelines based on what our clients say and what works with other candidates. Every company will have a dress code and how you dres...

Before you have even shaken the interviewer’s hand or been shown to the room where the interview will take place, you have already made your first ...

STAR - Our Guide to Answering Competency Questions

When it comes to interviewing there seems to be so many guides around that offer you the basic tips for answering questions that you will always get asked; Why are you looking to leave? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Why do you want to work for us? What do you know about the role? If you don’t know all these things about you and the role you are interviewing for, question wh...

When it comes to interviewing there seems to be so many guides around that offer you the basic tips for answering questions that you will always ge...

Living and working in Zurich

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Cajetan is a German national who relocated from Singapore to Zurich to join the Transfer Pricing practice at EY. Cajetan spent a number of years in Asia and decided to return to Europe and join a growing practice. I sat down with Cajetan to find out how he and his wife have found the move. 1) Salary to Cost of living – how much do you get for your money? Living costs in Switzerland are generall...

Cajetan is a German national who relocated from Singapore to Zurich to join the Transfer Pricing practice at EY. Cajetan spent a number of years in...

February 2018: Market Update

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The weather outside may have dampened spirits, but it certainly hasn’t dampened recruitment activity within the tax industry. Last month we mentioned a freeze (excuse the pun) on personal tax hires due to busy season, true to form there has been an increase with more firms across their teams after the stresses and strains of busy season. The market for VAT specialists has also grown in recent w...

The weather outside may have dampened spirits, but it certainly hasn’t dampened recruitment activity within the tax industry. Last month we mention...

Spring a step closer to home

With the final winter month underway with the predicted week of snow commuters have been thrown once again into a beautiful white world of havoc, with canceled trains, snowed in drives and impassable roads! I'm sure more than a few of us have been wishing that they had a role closer to home. Here are four reasons why it might just be time to cut the London commute and spring into a new role clo...

With the final winter month underway with the predicted week of snow commuters have been thrown once again into a beautiful white world of havoc, w...

60 Seconds With: Tim Fussell, Head of Business Tax Moore Stephens

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? You need to be very clear about your objectives and stay focused. Spend some time getting helpful advice and feedback from partners you look up to. What is your biggest bugbear about CVs? I don’t like long CV’s. I want to be able to access the key information easily. Less is more. How would your team describe you? You woul...

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? You need to be very clear about your objectives and stay focused. Spend so...

February 2018: Tax Movers & Shakers

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BDO has appointed Ross Robertson as a partner in the London corporate international tax team, Robertson joins BDO following 6 years at Ernst & Young having also held positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers Moore Stephens have appointed Ken Almand as transfer pricing partner in the business tax practice based in London, Ken joins from RSM where he was head of transfer pricing for 6 years. Mark Patte...

BDO has appointed Ross Robertson as a partner in the London corporate international tax team, Robertson joins BDO following 6 years at Ernst & Youn...

Is Cash Still King?

When was the last time you went to the cash machine? If like 30% of consumers, according to a survey taken; you won’t have taken out cash from an ATM or bank in the past week. Following the recent call for digital tax returns, consumer attitudes are clearly changing too and moving ever towards the golden goose that is a fully digitalised economy. We’re being persuaded and coerced all the while ...

When was the last time you went to the cash machine? If like 30% of consumers, according to a survey taken; you won’t have taken out cash from an A...

Living and working in Dublin

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Reenen is a South African national who relocated to Dublin in January 2018 from Johannesburg, South Africa. Reenen is a Transfer Pricing Senior Consultant at Deloitte in Dublin and we sat down with him to find out how he is getting on in Ireland. Enjoy. 1) Salary to Cost of living – how much do you get for your money? The overall cost of living is a lot higher in Ireland when it comes to housin...

Reenen is a South African national who relocated to Dublin in January 2018 from Johannesburg, South Africa. Reenen is a Transfer Pricing Senior Con...

Living and working in Paris

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Dorota relocated from London to Paris in 2017. Dorota’s move was driven by her personal affection for living and working in France, after a couple of months of living in the South West of France and developing her language skills Dorota knew it was the right move for her. Dorota relocated to France with an intermediate level of French and has vastly improved since being in the capital. Dorota h...

Dorota relocated from London to Paris in 2017. Dorota’s move was driven by her personal affection for living and working in France, after a couple ...

Living and working in Amsterdam

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Michelle is an American national who relocated from Atlanta to Amsterdam in November 2017. Michelle’s move was largely driven by her partner securing work with a major airline in the city. I assisted Michelle in her job search and we managed to secure a position within the Deloitte US International Tax team and has been settling in well over the last 4 months, we sat down with her to find out j...

Michelle is an American national who relocated from Atlanta to Amsterdam in November 2017. Michelle’s move was largely driven by her partner securi...

January 2018: Tax Movers & Shakers

Blick Rothenberg has appointed Heather Self as a partner in the corporate tax team in London. Heather has over 30 years’ experience, most recently as a partner at Pinsent Masons and prior to that as the head of tax at a FTSE 100 company, an anti-avoidance adviser at HMRC and a partner at Ernst & Young.She is a member of International Tax Review’s Global Tax 50 2017, recognised for her work in s...

Blick Rothenberg has appointed Heather Self as a partner in the corporate tax team in London. Heather has over 30 years’ experience, most recently ...

January 2018: Market Update

2018 is well underway and Christmas has now well and truly been forgotten about. Here at Pro-Tax, we have noticed a couple of trends in recruitment patterns over the course of the last month. As expected, those specialising in the world of personal tax have downed tools and focused all their attention on making it through the dreaded 31st deadline. This has resulted in a freeze on personal tax ...

2018 is well underway and Christmas has now well and truly been forgotten about. Here at Pro-Tax, we have noticed a couple of trends in recruitment...

The Benefits of working in a Mid-Tier Practice

Working in a Big 4 or even a Top 10 Practice is fantastic, but it’s not for everyone. Whether it’s your first foray into employment or you already have an established career then it’s worth considering the benefits of a Mid-Tier firm. In a Mid-Tier firm, you can expect: Full ATT/CTA training – As with the bigger firms you will still receive full training and study support including classroom tr...

Working in a Big 4 or even a Top 10 Practice is fantastic, but it’s not for everyone. Whether it’s your first foray into employment or you already ...

The Pros of working for the Big 4

As a Senior Recruitment Consultant who actively works for a Big 4 client, I am often engaging with candidates who have a perception of the Big 4 which can be very positive and sometimes challenged by candidates who have a negative perception of the Big 4. One common theme I have observed is the lack of understanding of the expectations and culture of the Big 4 environment. Therefore, in this mo...

As a Senior Recruitment Consultant who actively works for a Big 4 client, I am often engaging with candidates who have a perception of the Big 4 wh...

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? In every job or industry, there is always success to be found in prioritising that thing that matters most to the company you're employed by. In teaching, the best teachers are the ones who develop kids quickest. In football, you earn the most if you score goals. In professional services, prioritising client needs and serv...

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? In every job or industry, there is always success to be found in prioritis...

Bitcoin Boom, Capital Gains Tax Looms

The hottest talking point of 2017 had to be none other than one word…BITCOIN! Having recently attended a meeting with a Tax Partner who reinforced it to be “a bubble waiting to burst”, it was topical to dig a little deeper into this ‘thing’ that’s had such a profound impact across the world. One big talking point is whether profits made from Bitcoin (being the first and largest cryptocurrency) ...

The hottest talking point of 2017 had to be none other than one word…BITCOIN! Having recently attended a meeting with a Tax Partner who reinforced ...

December 2017: Market Update

December 2017…where has the year gone! As we enter the final stretch before the Christmas break, we take a look at the trends for December as well as a round-up for the year. As expected, the demand for staff continues to be apparent but we are facing the same old problems. Not enough candidates are looking to explore potential opportunities. Can we blame them? Especially given the current unce...

December 2017…where has the year gone! As we enter the final stretch before the Christmas break, we take a look at the trends for December as well ...

Introducing Your Award Winning Tax Recruitment Firm

On 6th December we headed down to the Park Plaza Hotel to attend an evening of black tie, champagne, entertainment and of course the awards ceremony that was long awaited for the Institute of Recruitment Professionals. Earlier in the year, Pro-Recruitment Group had submitted three nominations for Leader of the Year, Best Newcomer of the Year and Business Manager of the Year. All three nominatio...

On 6th December we headed down to the Park Plaza Hotel to attend an evening of black tie, champagne, entertainment and of course the awards ceremon...

60 Seconds - Will Flint, Director of Tax at Daily Mail and General Trust plc

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Head of Tax? Don’t be afraid to make clear decisions and recommendations: tax is complicated, so the businesses want you to tell them what to do. What does DMGT do well? DMGT give me the freedom and autonomy to just get on with it. What is your biggest bugbear about CVs? Superb CVs landing on your desk that get you excited, only to...

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Head of Tax? Don’t be afraid to make clear decisions and recommendations: tax is co...

December 2017: Tax Movers & Shakers

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Acquisitions The last quarter of 2017 saw two larger firms in London acquire some of the leading independent firms. Haines Watts acquired Westbury Accountants in Farringdon. The deal sees Haines Watts increase the firm by 6 Partners, 34 staff and a turnover of £10m. Managing Partner of the firm Matt Perry commented: “Haines Watts is totally committed to supporting the business owner sector and ...

Acquisitions The last quarter of 2017 saw two larger firms in London acquire some of the leading independent firms. Haines Watts acquired Westbury ...

The 2018 Budget

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Following a year of political turmoil and the news of growth rates falling it’s understandable that the nation has found it hard to look on the bright side of life (royal marriage announcements notwithstanding.) However, the message from the Chancellor last week was one of hope for the future; There are a near-record number of people in work, lower borrowing rates than we’ve seen since 2010, £6...

Following a year of political turmoil and the news of growth rates falling it’s understandable that the nation has found it hard to look on the bri...

Paradise Papers: Who’s on Santa’s ‘naughty list’

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With Christmas and New Year approaching faster than Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve; there may be trouble in paradise. With the recent leak of the ‘Paradise Papers’ still unravelling, there’s talk of a few household names being on Santa’s Naughty list this year. We’ve all seen and read the press coverage, but here’s a summary of a few that may not be expecting a festive visit from Jolly Old St ...

With Christmas and New Year approaching faster than Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve; there may be trouble in paradise. With the recent leak of the ...

NOVEMBER 2017: TAX MOVERS & SHAKERS

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RSM has appointed Audrey Fearing as a new indirect tax partner in London. Fearing joins RSM from EY where she led the government and public-sector tax team. Prior to that, she held roles at Deloitte following a period spent working for HM Revenue & Customs. PwC has appointed Fiona Carpenter as a partner in its UK financial services tax practice. Carpenter specialises in alternative asset manage...

RSM has appointed Audrey Fearing as a new indirect tax partner in London. Fearing joins RSM from EY where she led the government and public-sector ...

60 Seconds - Niki Phillips, Director of Tax at The Financial Times

Niki Phillips started her working life as a VAT Executive Officer in H.M. Customs & Excise, before retraining as a Chartered Accountant in tax with EY. Having moved into industry more than 10 years ago, she currently heads up the tax team at Financial Times, which has been built up from scratch over the last two years, since Nikkei Inc purchased the FT group. What advice would you give yourself...

Niki Phillips started her working life as a VAT Executive Officer in H.M. Customs & Excise, before retraining as a Chartered Accountant in tax with...

HMRC Office Closures – Is this good news for a short tax candidate market?

Unless you’ve been living on Mars for the last two years you will be aware there have been and will continue to be some big upheavals within HMRC UK wide. In 2015 it was announced that 170 offices will be consolidated to just 13 ‘city-based hubs’ by 2020 leaving their employees the option to either relocate to the nearest hub or start looking elsewhere in the local market. The decision by HMRC ...

Unless you’ve been living on Mars for the last two years you will be aware there have been and will continue to be some big upheavals within HMRC U...

60 Seconds with: Adam Smith, Partner at Westleton Drake

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? Westleton Drake was established just over eight years ago, so I think I’ll shave a couple of years off the question if that’s ok? I always knew that I wanted to start my own business, whether that be on my own or with friends/colleagues – it just so happens that my career started with US/UK tax and so that was the business...

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? Westleton Drake was established just over eight years ago, so I think I’ll...

Global Tax trends Q4 2017 / Q1 2018

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I have recently joined Pro-Recruitment to develop the International Tax function. With over 2.5 years of global tax recruitment experience I have strong relationships with numerous Partners, Hiring Managers and HR professionals in the Big 4 and Top 10 professional services firms globally. Having relocated myself from South Africa to the UK I understand the challenges of making an international ...

I have recently joined Pro-Recruitment to develop the International Tax function. With over 2.5 years of global tax recruitment experience I have s...

First impressions count

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You should be heading to your interview feeling thoroughly prepared with research on the business/the interviewer, know your CV inside-out, brushed up on competency answers and have plenty of questions to ask - these are the key things to ensure a successful interview. But with the obvious preparation done, some of the softer preparation can be forgotten and in a market where competition is fie...

You should be heading to your interview feeling thoroughly prepared with research on the business/the interviewer, know your CV inside-out, brushed...

First Time Buyers, Last Time Buyers and the dreaded STAMP DUTY

Having recently taken my first step onto the property ladder, I spent most of my evenings researching all of the detail that goes into buying a house. One looming question was whether we were required to pay Stamp Duty…. Whilst saving for a sizeable deposit is one of many hurdles to overcome as a first-time buyer, the government is committed to helping people achieve the lifelong ambition of be...

Having recently taken my first step onto the property ladder, I spent most of my evenings researching all of the detail that goes into buying a hou...

Interview Horror Stories

It’s October which means Halloween is just around the corner. So, with it coming up to the spookiest time of the year I thought only right that we at ProTax gather round and share some of our horror interview stories. Some will make you cringe, some howl with laughter and others downright peculiar; true stories nonetheless… The Dog that had the hump We had a polished and professional candidate ...

It’s October which means Halloween is just around the corner. So, with it coming up to the spookiest time of the year I thought only right that we ...

60 Seconds with: Pat Keogh - Managing Director, Pro-Recruitment

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago about setting up your own business? I set up the business with a business plan and loads of enthusiasm 10 years ago. In hindsight, the only thing I would change is to get professional advisers on board at the beginning to help sense check and advise me along the way. Many of our mistakes could have been avoided if we had sought advice sooner. Wha...

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago about setting up your own business? I set up the business with a business plan and loads of enthus...

6 Mistakes People Make When Moving Firms

We know that moving firms can be a great way to progress your career. It’s also not without risk and many lateral moves, despite the best intentions, go wrong. We've partnered with Heather Townsend, co-author of ‘How to make partner and still have a life’ to produce a series of webinars to help you with the transitions. In this article, Heather reveals the classic and often career-limiting mist...

We know that moving firms can be a great way to progress your career. It’s also not without risk and many lateral moves, despite the best intention...

GDPR - What is it and who will it affect?

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With the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into effect on the 25th May 2018, it seems as though a lot of people are wondering what it actually is, and how it will affect our day to day lives. To start things off, let’s look at what the GDPR actually is. The General Data Protection Regulation (or GDPR) is a regulation created by the EU (European Parliament, the Council of the Euro...

With the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into effect on the 25th May 2018, it seems as though a lot of people are wondering what i...

4 Things to Look For in a Recruitment Consultant

With the recruitment market becoming more saturated, it can be hard to decide on which agency to speak to when you are ready to move from your current role. Of course, you should research the company and the organisations they work with, especially if there is a particular company you’d like to work in, but what makes a recruiter stand out? Here are 4 things you should look for in a recruitment...

With the recruitment market becoming more saturated, it can be hard to decide on which agency to speak to when you are ready to move from your curr...

3 Reasons Why You Might Fail at the Partnership Panel Interview Stage

Many firms require their future partners to attend a partnership panel interview as part of the partnership admissions process. With good reason many partnership candidates dread this part of the process. In this article, Heather Townsend, author of ‘Poised for partnership’ and co-author of ‘How to make partner and still have a life’, explains why many great candidates fail at the partnership p...

Many firms require their future partners to attend a partnership panel interview as part of the partnership admissions process. With good reason ma...

Making The Move Into Tax Recruitment

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Although a busy month in the recruitment market, August from a personal perspective also marks the two-year anniversary of my move from working in taxation to recruiting for the tax sector. Having previously been placed by Pro-Tax, it felt a natural progression if I were to switch to recruitment, to switch with them. So how does a previous career in tax help with the transition to recruitment? ...

Although a busy month in the recruitment market, August from a personal perspective also marks the two-year anniversary of my move from working in ...

August 2017: Tax Market Update

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As a month August is usually a little slow due to school breaks and people going on their summer holidays. However, we have seen an upsurge in activity especially in Personal Tax and Private Client roles – potentially due to busy season slowly creeping up. We have also seen a rise in R&D opportunities for both engineers, tax specialists, and business developers and expect this to continue throu...

As a month August is usually a little slow due to school breaks and people going on their summer holidays. However, we have seen an upsurge in acti...

August 2017: Tax Movers & Shakers

Blick Rothenberg has appointed Lynne Pearson as a new partner in its growing Private Client tax team. Moore Stephens has announced that Sarah Friend will join their Reading tax team as a Partner specialising in advising domestic and international owner managed businesses. Abbey Tax has announced the arrival of Christopher Penfold as sales director. Christopher joins from Crowe Clark Whitehill, ...

Blick Rothenberg has appointed Lynne Pearson as a new partner in its growing Private Client tax team. Moore Stephens has announced that Sarah Frien...

How To Use Company Benefits To Stand Out

As a specialist Tax recruiter focusing on Mid-Tier practices one of the main obstacles which come up time and time again is the lack of strong candidates available in the market. When a good candidate comes along it is not unusual for them to end up with three, four or even five job offers so what can an employer do to sway the candidate away from the competition? A number of areas are vital to...

As a specialist Tax recruiter focusing on Mid-Tier practices one of the main obstacles which come up time and time again is the lack of strong cand...

5 Tips to Negotiating Your Pay Rise in Practice

Prior to getting into the recruitment world I previously worked with KPMG and Fladgate Fielder, and I was fortunate enough to have some excellent Managers who gave me some good insights into how some Partnerships look at salary reviews. This, combined with over 20 years in recruitment and constantly helping candidates get the best salary, has meant that over my time I have advised on most areas...

Prior to getting into the recruitment world I previously worked with KPMG and Fladgate Fielder, and I was fortunate enough to have some excellent M...

5 Top Tips for Getting a Career In Tax

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A multitude of career opportunities are available for graduates and school leavers alike, one of the most popular options is a move into taxation. With firms offering excellent trainee and graduate programs, you will be funded to complete all professional exams and pushed to excel in this ever-changing and stimulating industry. So, how do you stand out and beat the crowd to these sought-after o...

A multitude of career opportunities are available for graduates and school leavers alike, one of the most popular options is a move into taxation. ...

6 Top Tips For Making Partner

About 20 years ago, the benefits of making partner at a firm were clear. It meant a pay increase, first of all, and there was a distinction of responsibilities between partners and associates. A partner was one of few shareholders in the company or firm. But how can you get there? Here are some top tips to get you to Partner Level. 1. Making Partner starts from Day 1 If you are 100% sure you wa...

About 20 years ago, the benefits of making partner at a firm were clear. It meant a pay increase, first of all, and there was a distinction of resp...

7 Steps To Getting A Promotion

Do you think it’s time for your promotion? The thing to note about career progression is that you’ll need more than simply the correct experience. Knowing what else you need to address with your employer, as well as how to bring the issue up, can be the key to getting your desired outcome from the conversation. Here are 7 handy steps you can take to get the promotion you’re after. 1. Ask your e...

Do you think it’s time for your promotion? The thing to note about career progression is that you’ll need more than simply the correct experience. ...

6 Steps to Finding The Right Job

Getting that dream job is a challenge. It often is for everyone. Few things worthwhile ever merely fall into your lap... But, if you feel like you’re not getting anywhere and up against the proverbial brick wall, don’t despair. Just a few short alterations to your approach could pay dividends. Don’t believe us? Read on… Is your CV up to the job? Don’t get carried away with the idea that your CV...

Getting that dream job is a challenge. It often is for everyone. Few things worthwhile ever merely fall into your lap... But, if you feel like you’...

60 Seconds With: Malcolm Richardson - Head of Tax, M&G

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Malcolm is Head of Tax for the M&G Group and is responsible for the Group's tax affairs of the business as well as advising on tax issues relating to product development both in the UK and offshore. He has been at M&G for 30 years and qualified as a Chartered Tax Adviser in 1995. Malcolm is former Chairman of the IMA's Tax committee and on the Tax Committee of the Association of Real Estate Fun...

Malcolm is Head of Tax for the M&G Group and is responsible for the Group's tax affairs of the business as well as advising on tax issues relating ...

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Executive Director? The best person to drive your career is you-you don’t get where you want to go without people knowing where you’re aiming; Feedback – both giving and receiving – is important. Feedback received will tell you how to improve. Feedback given will teach you how to build professional relationships based on honesty an...

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Executive Director? The best person to drive your career is you-you don’t get where...

July 2017: Tax Market Update

It has been a busy summer this year at ProTax and we have continued to see a steady increase in market activity and placements across the permanent and temporary markets. This month’s Markit/REC Report on Jobs mirrors this, finding that permanent placements and temp billings have continued to rise markedly. The report goes on to describe that the demand for staff is still rising and although no...

It has been a busy summer this year at ProTax and we have continued to see a steady increase in market activity and placements across the permanent...

Considerations for your first 100 days as a Partner in a new firm

Changing jobs is always a daunting prospect and it’s important to get it right. In previous issues of The Orange Top, we have looked at things to consider prior to joining a new firm and what to consider throughout the interview process. But now we turn our attention to your new start and getting it right! The below is not an exhaustive list but gives insight into some of the keys points you sh...

Changing jobs is always a daunting prospect and it’s important to get it right. In previous issues of The Orange Top, we have looked at things to c...

Being creative is good for the soul!

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In recent times we the UK have suffered a number of tragic events that have both shocked and distressed some of the UK’s greatest cities. These events on top of an uncertain economy have left some people questioning what the positive things we can focus on are. I think one of the things is enjoying the creativity and feel good genres of theatre and film that we have here in the UK. Despite all ...

In recent times we the UK have suffered a number of tragic events that have both shocked and distressed some of the UK’s greatest cities. These eve...

Is The Role Of The Head Of Tax Dying A Death?

Over the last 12 months, we have spoken to more than a dozen Heads of Tax who have been made redundant. From Big Four organisations to boutique companies, FTSE 100 firms to small commerce and industry businesses, Board members are restructuring their teams to the point that the Head of Tax function is becoming increasingly rare. In 2011 and 2012, companies were bringing tax in-hous e for the fi...

Over the last 12 months, we have spoken to more than a dozen Heads of Tax who have been made redundant. From Big Four organisations to boutique com...

60 Seconds With: Alex Foster, Partner at RSM Guildford

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What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? Set goals based on what you think you can achieve, be bold and make it happen. What does RSM do well? We provide great opportunities for our people to learn and develop, whilst at the same time understanding people have other priorities outside of the office. What is your biggest bugbear about CVs? Typos. How would your te...

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? Set goals based on what you think you can achieve, be bold and make it hap...

5 Ways to Retain your Best Staff

What would be the impact on your business if you lost several of your best team members? No doubt it would be a very detrimental effect. It would be costly, timely and not only do you lose the revenue but you also lose client relationships and all of the effort and training that you have invested over the course of their time with you. Above all, the biggest impact this can have is the “knock o...

What would be the impact on your business if you lost several of your best team members? No doubt it would be a very detrimental effect. It would b...

June 2017: Tax Movers & Shakers

BDO continue their promotional drive by adding 15 new partners across the UK. It has been a bumper year for partner promotions which has seen a record number so far. Six of the new tax partners are Andy Kelly, Matthew Emms, Neil Williams, James Paterson & Angela Cross. BDO have made 3 additions to its Guildford Private Client team. Majid Hussain has recently joined from Deloitte as a Director a...

BDO continue their promotional drive by adding 15 new partners across the UK. It has been a bumper year for partner promotions which has seen a rec...

Women in Tax – an inspiration to men and women worldwide

As a recruiter specialising in Tax practice recruitment, it is important that I observe the market trends and monitor the supply of skilled tax professionals in order to educate my clients when supporting their recruitment needs. When discussing the specific details about my client’s teams and asking why quality candidates should consider working for them, I am specifically intrigued to learn a...

As a recruiter specialising in Tax practice recruitment, it is important that I observe the market trends and monitor the supply of skilled tax pro...

Do we pay more tax as Brits?

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In light of all of the economic change over that last 18 months and speculation for future change with Brexit and the recent election, the question that many people are asking is: “will I have to pay more tax?” A recent comparison of personal tax rates by Guardian Money across the US, Australia and Europe revealed that people earning “the average” £25,000 or the “middle-class” £40,000 in Britai...

In light of all of the economic change over that last 18 months and speculation for future change with Brexit and the recent election, the question...

May 2017: Tax Movers & Shakers

Blick Rothenberg has appointed two new external tax partners. Daphne Hemmingway is joining the business as VAT partner from Jeffrey’s Henry. She has over 20 years VAT experience working for Big 4 & mid-tier firms specialising in property, construction, charities, NFP, financial services as well as VAT litigation and disputes resolutions with HMRC. And James Dolan joins the business within the c...

Blick Rothenberg has appointed two new external tax partners. Daphne Hemmingway is joining the business as VAT partner from Jeffrey’s Henry. She ha...

Regional Tax Round-Up - June 2017

As a London resident and regional recruiter, it has always intrigued me that there is this line in one’s career when the buzz of working in the capital quietens and the bright lights start to dull. Not long after the conversation of ‘moving to the sticks’ quickly arises. Ok, environmental factors like house prices and general lifestyle changes do have a huge part to play. I recently asked a num...

As a London resident and regional recruiter, it has always intrigued me that there is this line in one’s career when the buzz of working in the cap...

60 Seconds With: Peter McMahon, Head of Tax at Grunberg & Co.

If you could give any advice to your younger self on how to make Partner, what would what it be? Work, work, work and then work harder! What does the Tax Team at Grunberg do well? Communicate with clients effectively! It sounds obvious but we get a huge amount of positive feedback from clients about how well we actually discuss things with them as opposed to simply tell them things. What is you...

If you could give any advice to your younger self on how to make Partner, what would what it be? Work, work, work and then work harder! What does t...

Should I Resign? Should I Take The Job?

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Why the right move is not always the easy move… Having recently joined Pro-Tax from another Tax recruitment firm, I have learned that the right career move is not always the easiest decision to make. I thought this would be an easy decision and if someone had told me how hard it would be, I wouldn’t have believed them, but, as with much in life, taking the risk and saying yes does pay off. As a...

Why the right move is not always the easy move… Having recently joined Pro-Tax from another Tax recruitment firm, I have learned that the right car...

Tax... Don’t Sugar Coat It

As many of us return from our chocolate infused Easter weekends, I’m sure most are feeling the added bulge, slightly tighter waistband and just a little bit sluggish as we sink back into the daily grind. The UK are currently joint fourth with Switzerland, Germany, and Austria in the world chocolate eating league, and on average eating approximately a whopping 9.5kg of chocolate per year. With e...

As many of us return from our chocolate infused Easter weekends, I’m sure most are feeling the added bulge, slightly tighter waistband and just a l...

Latest Recruitment Trends – April 2017

The REC Chief Executive, Karen Green has recently summarised the current UK job market with “Finding people to do the jobs on offer is rapidly becoming employers’ biggest headache and many are reporting an increasing number of white collar jobs as hard to fill, including in the IT and financial sectors.” This follows the latest REC / HIS Markit report (March 2017) demonstrating that following F...

The REC Chief Executive, Karen Green has recently summarised the current UK job market with “Finding people to do the jobs on offer is rapidly beco...

IR35 - What's Changed?

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For years, the stigma of IR35 has been a concern for working Contractors across the board in the Public Sector, however, up until now the ‘impossibility’ of HMRC policing such an issue has allowed the majority of contractors to operate outside (whether they legitimately are or not!). So what has changed? As of 5th April this year, the liability on IR35 status and correct tax reductions have shi...

For years, the stigma of IR35 has been a concern for working Contractors across the board in the Public Sector, however, up until now the ‘impossib...

5 Ways You Can Benefit From Using A Boutique Tax Recruitment Agency

It is difficult to know which tax recruiter to use. You have an array of options from choosing a large organisation that operates all over the world, through to partnering with a local specialist tax recruiter in London. Here are some of the advantages of using a specialist tax recruiter, whether you are looking for a job or you looking to hire a tax professional. 1. Tax is what they do! As a p...

It is difficult to know which tax recruiter to use. You have an array of options from choosing a large organisation that operates all over the worl...

March 2017: Tax Movers & Shakers

Public Practice After 10 years of working within the personal tax and trust team in a Big Four firm, Liz Rogers joins RSM from BHP where she headed up the trusts and estates practice. RSM appoints capital allowances specialist Rupert Guppy as an Associate Director in the firm's Southampton office. Guppy joins the firm from E3 Consulting and prior to that he worked in the capital allowances team...

Public Practice After 10 years of working within the personal tax and trust team in a Big Four firm, Liz Rogers joins RSM from BHP where she headed...

March 2017: Tax Market Update

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With another month of 2017 quickly passing quickly, we took a look at March’s tax recruitment trends: Overall: - Demand for professionals reaches 18-month peak - Candidate availability declines at faster pace - Sharper increase in salaries As the dust has now fully settled from the January deadline, permanent staff have become more in demand than ever and we have seen an increase in the total n...

With another month of 2017 quickly passing quickly, we took a look at March’s tax recruitment trends: Overall: - Demand for professionals reaches 1...

60 Seconds With: Gurpal Atwal, Head of Tax, Hikma

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to become a Head of Tax? Be thorough, communicate well, understand your boss’s perspective and find a mentor. What does the Tax team at Hikma do well? I’d say we do most things well but, in particular, we keep close to the business to ensure our advice is aligned with and supports the needs of the business well. What is your biggest bugbea...

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to become a Head of Tax? Be thorough, communicate well, understand your boss’s perspective ...

Will reduced Corporation Tax increase International business presence?

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The UK has always been a good place to do business, with a number of international businesses choosing to base their head office here. However, with the results of last year’s referendum seeing a reduction in corporation tax to 19% (from 20%), there was a concern that many organisations would choose to leave the UK. Over the last few years, we have seen a number of large businesses move their h...

The UK has always been a good place to do business, with a number of international businesses choosing to base their head office here. However, wit...

Will the Spring Budget Affect Wine and Spirit Duty?

It was Tuesday 7th March 2017 and through daily routine, I picked up the Metro and started to flick through page by page. I stumbled across an article on sparkling wine which read: “A record 40 million bottles of wine were sold in UK shops and supermarkets in the run up to Christmas. Stores made £270 million during the 12 weeks to December 31st – up to a staggering 10% in the same period in 201...

It was Tuesday 7th March 2017 and through daily routine, I picked up the Metro and started to flick through page by page. I stumbled across an arti...

4 ways tax changes could affect Uber pricing

Is Uber about to increase their prices due to various Tax hikes? In a recent ruling, Uber drivers in Australia are being made to pay 10% GST, just like taxis. After a long-running legal battle with the Australian Tax Office in the NSW Federal, Uber lost its case on Friday 17th February 2017. If this ruling came into play in the UK, it could prove costly for both Uber and its 500,000+ London cus...

Is Uber about to increase their prices due to various Tax hikes? In a recent ruling, Uber drivers in Australia are being made to pay 10% GST, just ...

REC / IHS Markit February 2017 Report: A Summary

January data signaled a further marked increase in permanent staff placements, despite the rate of growth easing to its slowest since September 2016. Permanent staff availability fell for the 45th month in a row at the start of 2017. Recruitment agencies continued to signal a drop in candidate availability at the start of 2017. While permanent staff availability declined at a slightly faster ra...

January data signaled a further marked increase in permanent staff placements, despite the rate of growth easing to its slowest since September 201...

Technology in Tax

As a recruiter specialising in the tax industry, a crucial part of my job is to observe the current trends in the market and be aware of the factors which will ‘shake up’ the tax industry and its demand for talent. Moving away from the ongoing topic that is ‘Brexit’ for a moment, one of the biggest impacts that the tax industry is already being influenced by is Technology. So how will this affe...

As a recruiter specialising in the tax industry, a crucial part of my job is to observe the current trends in the market and be aware of the factor...

February 2017: Tax Movers & Shakers

Public Practice BDO has announced that it has taken its new partner intake to 23 during the first half of its financial year, following a “recruitment spree” that includes the appointment of five partners in five weeks. The key partner appointments have been made across the tax and audit and advisory teams, and in specialist areas, including Public Interest Entities, restructuring, forensics, c...

Public Practice BDO has announced that it has taken its new partner intake to 23 during the first half of its financial year, following a “recruitm...

60 Seconds With: Yvette Jacobs-Lee, Specialist Mixed Tax Partner

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? My mother always told me not to stick my head above the parapet, but if you want to be Partner you do need to stand out from the crowd What does Kingston Smith do well? Simply helping clients build their businesses. Our tax team and the tax solutions we offer are at the heart of how we support our clients. What is your big...

What advice would you give yourself 10 years ago on how to make Partner? My mother always told me not to stick my head above the parapet, but if yo...

Inside In-House Tax

As I work purely within the in-house tax department of Pro-Tax, I speak to a lot of companies and candidates and have a good grasp of the market trends. One of the major trends in today’s in-house tax market is the increase in redundancies at the senior level. The role of Head of Tax is an important one; they need to add value through both strategy and commerciality, as well as taking responsib...

As I work purely within the in-house tax department of Pro-Tax, I speak to a lot of companies and candidates and have a good grasp of the market tr...

5 Top Tips for getting into tax

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A multitude of career opportunities are available for graduates and school leavers alike, one of the most popular options is a move into taxation. With firms offering excellent trainee and graduate programs, you will be funded to complete all professional exams and pushed to excel in this ever changing and stimulating industry. So, how do you stand out and beat the crowd to these sought after o...

A multitude of career opportunities are available for graduates and school leavers alike, one of the most popular options is a move into taxation. ...

January Tax News Round Up

The Times reveals that the big four are leading the way when it comes to offering apprenticeships. After the civil service, the second largest employer of elite apprentices is PwC, with 295 higher and degree apprentices last year. KPMG hired 214, Deloitte 210 and EY 195. Maggie Stilwell, from EY, says the firm has removed minimum academic requirements from its application process, a move which ...

The Times reveals that the big four are leading the way when it comes to offering apprenticeships. After the civil service, the second largest empl...

60 Seconds with: Adam Frais - Head of London Tax, BDO

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If you could give any advice to your younger self on how to make Partner, what would what it be? Focus on the market. Work with people you trust. What does BDO do well? Providing practical and pragmatic solutions for clients and engendering a collaborative culture where people are encouraged to ‘be themselves’ & given the freedom to be the best they can be. What is your biggest bugbear about CV...

If you could give any advice to your younger self on how to make Partner, what would what it be? Focus on the market. Work with people you trust. W...

2016 Tax Hiring Trends

A summary of points published in the REC / IHS Markit January 2017 Report on December’s job and hiring activity December saw another increase in permanent staff placements Temporary staff placements also boomed in December at the fastest pace since April In contrast to this, the market is feeling the effects to a very candidate – short market, with the availability of candidates being at a thre...

A summary of points published in the REC / IHS Markit January 2017 Report on December’s job and hiring activity December saw another increase in pe...

Why Won't They Make Me A Partner?

Not everyone is destined to become a Partner, and there is a lack of open discussion within firms about how to progress from Senior Manager or Director grades to partnership. If you think it happens like a normal promotion then you may be in for a shock. Below, Alison Keogh interviews Heather Townsend, where the later aims to shed light on what steps you need to take in order to achieve partner...

Not everyone is destined to become a Partner, and there is a lack of open discussion within firms about how to progress from Senior Manager or Dire...

How to get over the January blues

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The time to relax has finally arrived! We’ve had Christmas, we’ve had New Year’s Eve, we’ve battled against dry January and New Year’s Resolutions….but most importantly, BUSY SEASON IS OUT OF THE WAY! So how do you get over the January blues? What’s the best way to recover from working 60 hour weeks and submitting 200 tax returns? Sure you could book a weekend away, or perhaps a lazy holiday on...

The time to relax has finally arrived! We’ve had Christmas, we’ve had New Year’s Eve, we’ve battled against dry January and New Year’s Resolutions…...

12 Tips to Become a Successful Recruiter

As the festive season is fast approaching and we are wrapping up for the next year, it is important to stay focused on how to excel in your career. In her insightful article below, Internal Recruitment Manager Loren Desmond offers 12 top tips on becoming and remaining a successful recruiter. Answer/Return the call The most successful recruiters will always get back to people whether it is good ...

As the festive season is fast approaching and we are wrapping up for the next year, it is important to stay focused on how to excel in your career....

3 Worries About Your Ability To Win New Clients

A few months ago Heather Townsend, co-author of 'How to make partner and still have a life’, explained the 10 lessons that every prospective partner needs to learn to an audience of over 200 tax, finance and legal professionals. The 6th lesson was the need to have a consistent business development routine. As a follow on to this talk, in this article, Heather shares 3 signs that the consistent ...

A few months ago Heather Townsend, co-author of 'How to make partner and still have a life’, explained the 10 lessons that every prospective partne...

CTA - What's Next?!

Whilst much of the country basked in the July heat wave this week, many of tax industry’s brightest minds sat on the edge of their office chair waiting for the impending CTA results to be released. Months of hard work, study and sacrifices not to mention the frightful exams themselves, led to the moment on Wednesday when they would finally find out whether those precious 3 initials had been gai...

Whilst much of the country basked in the July heat wave this week, many of tax industry’s brightest minds sat on the edge of their office chair wai...